Adil Rashid targets England return as Yorkshire title offers him a path out of the wilderness

Adil Rashid made his England debut five years ago – at the age of 21 — before being cast into the international wilderness.

The intervening years have not been easy for the hugely talented young leg-spinning all-rounder, who was publicly lambasted by Yorkshire president Geoffrey Boycott in 2012 before threatening to leave the county if he wasn’t managed better soon after.

Now, after playing a central role in Yorkshire’s impressive County Championship victory with 40 wickets at 25.75 apiece and 566 runs at 43.53, he is back on England’s radar.

Yorkshire's Adil Rashid is expected to tour South Africa with England Lions this winter

He is expected to tour South Africa with England Lions this winter, when he can stake a claim for a Test spot in the West Indies ahead of a home Ashes.

And Yorkshire’s Australian coach Jason Gillespie has helped give Rashid the confidence to follow his attacking instincts.

‘Jason’s got the experience of playing with some of the world’s best like Shane Warne and he knows a lot about leg-spin bowling having spent a lot of time with Warne during his career,’ Rashid said.

‘He has told me to just let the ball rip out of my hand and to not worry about going for runs. There were a couple of years when I wasn’t at my best and possibly didn’t develop my game as much as I could have. I had a defensive mind-set and I was more worried about not conceding runs than taking wickets. I was basically just going through the motion.

Adil Rashid has played a central role in Yorkshire’s impressive County Championship victory

‘But the last two seasons have seen my mind-set change and I’m now once again looking to be the attacking cricketer I always wanted to be.’

Five years on, Rashid is older, wiser and ready for a return to the England fold.

‘I enjoyed my chances for England and I was only young,’ he told PakPassion.

‘I learned a lot from international cricket and hopefully get more chances to play for England may come in future.

‘Everyone wants to play for their country. My ambition is to play for England again. I don’t think I’m that far off. I’m learning my trade and I feel that as a leg-spinner you are always learning right up to your retirement. It’s an art that I think you can never perfect.’